More than 1,600 apply to haul trash in case of strike

KOMO-TV STAFF

Published 10:00 pm, Friday, April 2, 2010

More than 1,600 people have applied to work as replacement drivers for Waste Management in case of a strike by the Teamsters, a company spokesperson said Saturday.

"We're preparing to hire replacements in the event of a prolonged strike. It's part of our contingency planning," said Jackie Lang, spokeswoman for Waste Management.

The company submitted what it calls its "best, last, final offer" to union garbage truck drivers represented by Teamsters Local 174, but the offer was rejected Friday by the union.

Nearly 1 million customers in King and Snohomish counties would be affected if the union votes to strike.

But Lang said there are plenty of qualified people out there who are willing to fill in if it comes to that.

"The response to our ads was very strong," she said. "We had more than 1,600 people apply online, and today we're interviewing the best 100 out of those applicants."

Lang said Waste Management was not surprised by the large number of applicants.

"Given the economy, a lot of people are under-employed and unemployed. So the response was very strong and ... it's a very strong group of applicants."

The Teamsters already have voted to authorize a strike, but said they currently have no plans to call a strike

Union representatives said the Teamsters are unhappy with the company's final offer and have submitted their own new proposal with "significant movement" on the issues.

"The idea that the company can introduce new language and throw all kinds of changes at us and expect our members to vote on a short deadline is offensive," said Rick Hicks, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 174 and lead negotiator.

"From a union's perspective, this appears to be a tactic to divide the membership and force them to vote on a substandard deal," said Local 117 Secretary-Treasurer, Tracey A. Thompson. "This approach to bargaining calls into question whether the company is bargaining in good faith."

Waste Management's five-year offer includes a wage increase of $1 per hour in the first year, bumping up the current pay rate of $26.29 per hour by 3.7 percent.

By the last year of the contract, the average driver's annual compensation will reach $109,553, Waste Management said, and the company will contribute more than $15,000 per year to each employee's pension fund. (View the full proposal)

In addition, Waste Management said it is offering a one-time $1,000 bonus to each employee if the contract is ratified by April 3.

"Were still focused on an agreement," Waste Management's Lang said. "It's very hard to understand why union leadership would deny their members the opportunity to vote on this offer. It seems heavy-handed to not allow employees to decide for themselves."

She said replacement drivers would go through a rigorous selection and training process before they are placed on the job during a strike, if one is called.